TESDA offers free training program for skilled workers in CamSur

by Lizel S. Macatangay

NAGA City, Aug. 4 (PIA) -- More than 1,500 skilled workers in Camarines Sur will benefit from the free training program of the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) provincial office in line with the second run of the free National TVET Competency Assessment and Certification ( NATCAC) program for the month of August.

TESDA OIC provincial director Emmanuel Buban disclosed that the said training is a simultaneous conduct of competency assessment and certification in identified key qualifications with high industry demand.

“We are pursuing activities like these to give more opportunities to a number of people who are certified and qualified for a particular job description, while enhancing their competency at par with the rest of the best workers in other parts of the globe. We want to train them and bring out the best in them,” Buban quips.

Target clients for the free assessment include trainers of private and public technical vocational institutions (TVIs), including TESDA Technology institutes (Tis), local government units (LGUs) and other government agencies providing TVET programs and private enterprises with registered TVET programs.

Workers or industry practitioners, other professionals or career shifters who want to undergo competency assessment can also partake of the said undertaking. This is also open to returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) or Filipino expatriates .

TESDA has already lined up the dates of the training, inclusive of the activities and qualifications of the eligible participants. From August 8 to 12, participants who have the qualifications as Aquaculture NC II, Fish Capture NC II, Horticulture NC II, Landscape Installation and Maintenance (Softscape) NC II, Food Processing NC II and Service Small Engine System and Components (COC) can join the Agri/ Food Processing Sector.

Those with Automotive Servicing NC II and Motorcycle/ Small Engine Servicing NC II can also get hold of the August 22 to 26 assessment for Automotive sector while those with Driving NC II and NC III qualifications respectively can be enlisted to attend the August 29 to September 2 assessment for the Land Transport Sector.

All interested participants may inquire at the TESDA Provincial Office located at the 2nd Floor of DOLE Building, City Hall Complex, Magsaysay Avenue , Naga City . They can also call telephone numbers 473-1085 or 8113524 or email them at tesda_camsur@yahoo.com. Deadline for submission of application is on August 5, 2011. (MAL/LSM, PIA Camarines Sur)

Council reviews thrusts and directions programs for children in Sorsogon

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY , Aug. 4 (PIA) -- The Sorsogon Council for the Protection of Children (SPCPC) has reviewed thrusts and directions of the program for children implemented for the first quarter of 2011 for the province of Sorsogon.

Myra Relativo, assistant department head of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), presented the accomplishments of the PCPC for the first quarter of 2011 underscoring that all Day Care Centers operating here in the province should be duly accredited as it is one of the key areas for the evaluation of the Child Friendly Award.

"The thrust and direction of the PCPC is to really develop all municipalities as child friendly focusing on child friendly programs and interventions" Relativo explained.

According to Rey Rempillo, Liga ng mga Barangay representative, some barangays do not have day care centers and some are even clustered in one day care center.

The new tool that is now being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWDO) in the accreditation of the new day care centers is also one of the impedements in the accreditation as this are to be well explained to day care workers according to Blesilda Bontigao, MSWDO of Casiguran expressed.

According to France Bonto, Social Worker Officer II of the DSWDO ROV, the DSWDO tool has long been introduced to the Day Care Workers (DCW) but the need to assess the the DCW's competence, skills and accomplishments should be also conducted before the final accreditation.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) assisting in children's programs and currently are present in some municipalities in the province be also included in the directory of organizations assisting children's programs in the province.

Interventions of these NGO's should also be documented and should be included as partners in the enhancement of children's program in the municipality where they operate. They should be recognized as partner enhancers of children's programs.

In Sorsogon there are almost 5 NGOs whose programs are child-focused like the Green Valley , Intervida , Child Fund -FACE (CFF), Visayan Forum and Casa Miani.

Mrs. Linda Encela, supervisor of the Department of Education (DepEd) also reported that they have completed the Orientation on the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children Manual of Operations to all district supervisors, school principals, Parent Teacher Association presidents and pupil government leaders last May 27-28, 2011 first batch and May 30-31, 2011, second batch here in the province.

"Workers in the DepEd are now well aware of children's programs specially the Rights of Children , their equal protection and invlving them also in community activities ", Encela expressed.

Meanwhile the work and financial plan being operationalized for the year 2011 has scheduled a children's congress slated this October 22, 2011 in time for the Celebration of the Kasanggayahan Festival.

Suggestions to also have at least 4 children representatives in the council was taken up and will be recommended by the DepEd and the NGOs working in children's program.

Josefina Deri of CFF has also reported that they have networked with the Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE) on activities regarding anti child trafficking interventions and anti- child labor monitoring activities and was reported to the PCPC.

Concerns and issues regarding what has been raised were also threshed out like the need to accredit day care centers and the assessment to be done to BDCW and programs scheduled with linkages from DOLE and the 4 NGOs in the province as to how they implement complementation.

The council will meet again this last week of August to discuss the details of the scheduled children's congress, provide updates of interventions and activities of member agencies to strengthen the programs for children.

So far the programs for children implemented here in the province as reviewed was well implemented and in synch with the work and financial plan of the PCPC. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)